The invention relates, generally, to pinball games and, more particularly, to an improved ball delivery system for such games.
The typical pinball game consists of an inclined playfield supporting a rolling ball, a plurality of play features such as targets, bumpers, ramps and the like, and player operated flippers. The player operates the flippers to direct the ball at selected play features thereby to control play of the game and score points.
Some existing play features require that a ball be loaded into the play feature before the play feature can be operated. An example of such a play feature is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,186,462 issued to Biagi et al. and consists of an oscillating ball cannon where the ball is loaded into the cannon when the player shoots the ball onto a ramp. Once loaded, the ball cannon is fired either automatically by the game microprocessor or manually by the game player thereby propelling the ball back onto the playfield.
It will be appreciated that play features other than a ball cannon require that a ball be loaded in the play feature before it can be actuated. For example, eject holes, ball storage devices and the like require the loading of a ball.
In existing pinball games, balls are loaded into this type of play feature in one of two ways. First, the ball can be loaded using a ramp or other device mounted on or above the playfield as shown in Biagi et al. Alternatively, a ball delivery system is located below the playfield, out of the player's view, usually consisting of a ramp or ramps leading from a ball inlet to the play feature to be loaded. The player shoots the ball into the ball inlet and the ball is delivered from the inlet to the desired play feature via the ramp.
Using either of the previously described methods, there is a delay between the time the ball enters the ball inlet and the time it reaches the play feature because the ball must traverse the ramp from the inlet to the play feature. This delay slows play of the game and creates short periods of "dead time" when play of the game is temporarily suspended. This situation is more problematic with the below a playfield systems because the player is not able to visually follow the ball as it traverses the ramp.
Thus, a ball delivery system for a pinball game that does not create "dead time" is desired.